Giving Up Not An Option

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Hasliza Ali, 41, is a divorcee and mother of two daughters, aged 12 and 14. In September 2012, she went through a rough patch in her life when she found herself unemployed for about six months.

Back then, she was working as a sales administrator and personal assistant. Being the sole breadwinner, Hasliza sought career progression and better remuneration. Observing that her company was not doing well and was unlikely to offer those to her, she decided to enrol into a part-time course to pave the way for other career opportunities.

 

 

Thanks to the then NTUC-Surrogate Employer Programme and the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Home Ownership Plus Education Scheme which helps low-income families upgrade to build a better future, Hasliza managed to complete a fully-subsidised LCCI Double Diploma in Business Admin and Private Secretary.

Hasliza left her company thereafter, but numerous job applications online came to naught due to fierce competition. She had to take up odd jobs conducting surveys and providing beauty services to cope with the daily expenses. Nevertheless, even as thoughts of her flat rental and daughters’ future nagged at the back of her mind, she remained positive.

 

“I had to move on and not give up. I trust that life will be fair to me. If you believe in yourself, others will, too,” shared Hasliza.

After half a year, she visited a Community Development Council for assistance. The representatives pointed her to job fairs and workshops under NTUC, including a talk for back-to-work mums and a session on building good resumes. Eventually, after a call centre training, she was successfully placed at I-Vic International in a customer service role.

 

 

Since, Hasliza has not only remarried, but was most recently head hunted by a past client to join a global audit firm as a corporate secretarial manager. She will commence work over there as this paper goes to print.

There is no full-stop in Hasliza’s lifelong learning journey. She is currently studying accountancy on her own initiative. She aims to be able to take on accountancy-related tasks and earn the $500 increment from her new company.

When asked if she ever thought of being a stay-at home mum, Hasliza said: “Working makes me feel alive. Every day I have a purpose, something to do, somewhere to dress up for.

“While small, I make a difference to my boss, the company or the customers. With dual income, we can also live more comfortably.”

 

 

Source: NTUC This Week 19 March 2017, Story and Photo by Avelyn Ng